Golf Tips

Warm-Up Routine

Before you play a round of golf, it’s best to loosen your muscles and joints with some warm-up exercises. Here are five quick moves that you can do between the clubhouse and the first tee that will help get the blood pumping.

Arm circles- Raise your arms to shoulder height and start making small circles with your hands, widen the arc, change speeds and reverse the direction.

Shoulder stretch- Take your 3 wood and place your hands at either end. Keeping your body still, hold the club parallel to your waist and then lift it up over your head and behind you. Repeat the motion.

Torso turns- Hold a club parallel to the ground and turn your shoulders to the left and then to the right. Repeat the motion.

Standing toe touches- Stand with your arms outstretched at shoulder height and with your feet spread apart, bend at the waist and touch the fingers of your right hand to the toes on your left foot. Repeat with the left hand and right foot.

Jeremy Rivando, PGA of Canada

Bunker Shots - Sand Traps

Bunker shots tend to scare many golfers and with the right technique you can turn that fear into confidence and success.

Get into the bunker and settle your feet an inch or so into the sand, your foot alignment should be to the left of your target. The ball should be forward in your stance, slightly ahead of centre.

Keep the face wide open throughout the swing. You want to have the club open as you splash down into the sand. The swing should be outside to in, meaning that you want to swing the club away from your body as you go back and then to the inside as you accelerate through the shot. You should finish the shot with a full follow through.

You do not hit the ball, you hit the sand behind and underneath the ball. Don’t try to “pick” the ball out of the trap, you’ll want to hit the sand first, your focus should be on a spot about an inch behind the ball.

Spend some time practicing in the sand while utilizing these tips and they should help you feel more comfortable and confident over your next bunker shots.

Jeremy Rivando, PGA of Canada

Chipping

Chipping is an important part of the game and with the right technique you can be successful around the greens.

Practice these tips and improve your short game!

Use your normal grip and choke down on the club slightly, keep the grip pressure soft and light. The ball should be positioned towards your back foot and your weight should be on your front leg.

The first task as you approach a chip shot is to evaluate and envision the shot at hand. In most cases the ideal landing area should be just a few feet on to the green. Envision a shot that lands just on the green and rolls towards the pin. Try using a 9 iron to start off, walk to your landing area and visualize the shot.

Make some practice swings with a confident brush of the ground each time. Step over the ball and without too much thought or hesitation make the same confident stroke you just repeated in your practice swings. Be aware of the speed of your stroke, try and develop a smooth motion, free of any tension.

There you have it, continue to refine this skill and good results will follow.

Be sure to practice and have fun!

Jeremy Rivando, PGA of Canada

Putting Tips

There are so many ways to putt. Normal grip, cross handed, pencil grip, belly putter, long putter etc.. No matter which way you choose, there are a few things you should always be aware of:

Grip pressure: should be light and tension free

Your arms should hang straight down and your eyes should be over the ball

Feet shoulder width apart and standing in balance. (weight should not move during putt)

The stroke should be 1/3 back and 2/3 through. (always a slight acceleration)

Follow through should stay low and club face pointing at your intended line.

The putter has a sweet spot!! Finding it will help keep putts on line with proper speed.

Be sure to practice and have fun!

Jamie Moran, PGA of Canada

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